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National Situation Update: Friday, January 18, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
Areas of light snow will spread southeast into portions of north-central South Dakota this evening and through the overnight hours.  Northerly winds will also increase to 15 to 30 mph with higher gusts likely.  A Wind Advisory is in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.  Gusty northeast winds are expected this morning over the area  with the strongest winds in the passes and canyons in the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles counties and the Santa Monica Mountains.  These winds will continue through early Saturday afternoon, except for brief lulls in the evening hours. 

Midwest:
An arctic front will travel southward through the region.  Light snow and flurries will accompany the front from the Great Lakes to the north-central Plains.  Gusty winds behind the front will produce wind chills to minus 40 degrees in northern Minnesota.  Lake-effect snow on Saturday will add to snow depths in northern Wisconsin, Michigan, northwest Indiana and northwest Ohio.  Lighter snow showers will remain over the eastern half of the Ohio Valley.

Northeast:
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Mid-Atlantic and New England States; a low pressure system developing along the Carolina coast will track northeast to eastern Long Island, NY today.  The low will quickly move northeast reaching the Gulf of Maine by the afternoon.  Periods of snow, sleet, or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties.  Light to moderate snow will continue to spread across the region today; the snow will then change to freezing rain.  Two to four inches of snow may accumulate across the region before the change to light freezing rain.  High snowfall amounts will occur across northern Massachusetts and into southern New Hampshire. 

South:
A storm system is emerging from the Gulf of Mexico.  Rain and thunderstorms will spread into the Gulf Coast region today and precipitation will spread northward tonight.  Significant snow accumulations are possible in the southern Appalachians, Birmingham and Atlanta.  Rain will fall over the rest of the Southeast from northern Florida to eastern North Carolina.  Sunday will bring moderate temperatures in the southern Plains but the Southeast will remain cold with highs 10 to 15 degrees below average. (NWS, Media Sources)

Midwest Flooding Update

Flooding conditions continue to improve; moderate flooding continues along portions of the Illinois, Kankakee, and Tippecanoe Rivers.  Bitterly cold temperatures expected this weekend will increase ice formation in rivers and potential for ice jams.  FEMA Region V Individual Assistance PDAs are ongoing in Indiana and Illinois. (FEMA Region V)

Possible Amtrak Strike

A possible nationwide Amtrak strike is set for 12:01 a.m. EST, January 30, 2008, which could impact more than 500,000 riders and the freight network.  Amtrak owns or operates most of the routes between Washington, DC and Boston, MA.  It also owns Pennsylvania Station in New York City which is the hub of all train travel to and from the Northeast. A strike would impact riders as far away as Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA.  Transit officials are preparing contingency plans.  Amtrak workers have been working without a new contract for eight years.  A Presidential Emergency Board recommended a 35.2 percent pay increase retroactive from Jan. 1, 2000, to Dec. 31, 2009, to make up for the eight years the workers have gone without a pay increase. (White House, Media Sources)

Colombia's Galeras Volcano Erupts

Thursday, January 17, 2008, a volcano west of Pasto, Colombia erupted.  The eruption sent ashes approximately five miles into the sky, causing the evacuation of about 8,000 people living in areas near the volcano.  There were no immediate reports of injuries or serious property damage after the 14,110-foot Galeras volcano began erupting.  There is a concern that shifting winds could spread the ash and cause damage to homes and other buildings.  Galeras became active in 1988 after 10 years of dormancy; in recent years it  has experienced five eruptions (1991, 1992, 1993, 2004 and 2006).  Though the 1993 eruption left nine people dead, the USGS reports that the current eruption is the most serious since its reactivation 20 years ago. (USGS, Smithsonian, Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 2:46 p.m. EST, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck the northern Yukon Territory 381 miles NE of Fairbanks, AK at a depth of 6.2 miles.  There were no reports of damage or injuries. (USGS/NEIC, West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)